The four chefs competing in this final competition — a ramp up to the Feast of the Sea seafood festival on Sept. 13 — were given the secret ingredient, live Maine lobster, just seconds before the 60-minute competition.

With it, Santucci created the winning dish: a steamed and seared lobster with sage, asparagus and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with creamy butter sauce. Edwin Bermudez of Nick and Johnnie’s made a lobster and gnocchi in cream sauce. Adam Gottlieb of Atlantic Grille made lobster three ways — crudo with raisins, with guacamole and with corn. And Erik Grutka of Ian’s Tropical Grille made a trio of lobster ceviche and crudo, lobster on warm corn tortilla and lobster in cream sauce with fresh corn.

A $2,000 prize went to Santucci, but the proceeds of the tickets went to charity. Pictured here are Adam Gottlieb, Santucci, Roy Villacrusis, Top Chef Season 2 contestant Carlos Fernandez, Edwin Bermudez and Eric Grutka. Photo: Chasin A Dream Photography

Sept. 3, 2013

Chefs don’t need an excuse to cook, but give them a good cause, some prize money — and the right to call themselves the best — and they’re ready to drop knives.

Four Palm Beach County chefs will compete publicly tonight in the Maestro del Mar challenge as a warm up to the inaugural Feast of the Sea seafood festival in West Palm Beach on Sept. 13.

Tonight’s VIP event at Nick and Johnnie’s Palm Beach Coastal Restaurant, is limited to just 50 tickets at $10 each and can be purchased online. Tickets include a sampling from each chef, complimentary Tito’s Vodka cocktails and wine pairings. The challenge and the seafood festival support the non-profit Future 6, which hosts free camps for children whose families face financial hardships and who have special needs.

Sixteen chefs had their own version of March Madness — in August — as they whittled down to these top four: Edwin Bermudez of Nick and Johnnie’s, Adam Gottlieb of Atlantic Grille, Eric Grutka of Ian’s Tropical Grille and Eugenio Santucci of Ristorante Santucci.

The competition is Iron Chef-style, where neither will know the secret ingredient until the challenge begins, and they’ll have 60 minutes to create their dishes.